Black Men Vote

Black Men Vote is a nonprofit whose mission is to drive civic and political engagement among Black men nationwide through legislative, electoral, and community-based initiatives. Created to move Black men from the political margins to the center of American Democracy, Black Men Vote's founder, Frank White, and its Executive Director, Michael Bland, will be in conversation at Clio's on September 30th to discuss the impact of Black men on electoral politics in recent elections. What can we expect in the future? Are strategies which focus on local, state, or federal politics most effective? How has the political orientation of Black men changed over time? What role do Black men play in securing the future of our democracy? (Spoiler alert: the role is essential.)

These issues and many others will be addressed by Frank White and Michael Bland. With decades of experience in electoral politics and campaign management, they will walk us through an understanding of how the intersection of race and politics will impact upcoming elections, the balance of power, and the future of democracy in the United States. Please join us as we consider a path forward during challenging times.

Frank White is a founding board member of Black Men Vote and a former IT executive. Frank was co-chair of President Obama’s Finance and Inauguration Committees. He has received recognition as an Ernst and Young Maryland Entrepreneur of the year as well as having his business named on the Black Enterprise Top 100 List of Largest Black-Owned US Businesses for the last 8 years. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MA from Syracuse University. He also completed the Executive Education Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He executes on BMV's organizational mission “to inform all Black men (particularly ages 18-35) to vote at all levels of government, including local, state, and federal.”

Michael Bland is the Executive Director of Black Men Vote and recently served as Southern Regional Director and Senior Advisor for Faith Engagement for the Harris for President campaign. Previously, as National Director of Leaders of Color at Education Reform Now, he scaled a national program that trained over 400 fellows and supported the election/appointment of nearly 100 Black and Brown leaders. His background includes campaign management, notably leading Congresswoman Jahana Hayes' historic election as the first Black woman to represent New England. He also served as Northeast Deputy Field Director, contributing to flipping Nash County for the first time in United States history. A University of Rhode Island graduate, Bland has served on numerous nonprofit boards and is a member of the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons.

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